Life in the Fox Hole
by Cosmic Sky
Summary: It went without saying that they'd lead a very interesting life together. From the darkest corners of the Moon Cell to beyond and then to a new world, and yet their story continued. As far as Hakuno and Tamamo were concerned, that was just fine, after all, what is an extra life for but for one's enjoyment? And life for them is about to get a whole lot wilder.
1. Chapter 1-Not a Surprise, a Miracle

**Hello readers, and welcome to another Fate story, which if you couldn't tell is going to be a bit different than my previous stories. Obviously, it's a Hakuno/Tamamo story, though not a lemon like "Gratitude to a Goddess" or full-story like "Fox Tails and Whirlpools"; this is more of anthology of shorts with one loose plot connecting them all. As for when and where this story takes place, well, that's explained as you read but think of this series an alternate take on Hakuno and Tamamo's life and all the twists and turns it took. Now that all that is out of the way, onto the story!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1-Not a Surprise, a Miracle**_

As far as mornings went, waking up to the absence of his foxy-eared wife was something Hakuno Kishinami had become somewhat used to. Don't get him wrong, more times than he could possibly count he'd awoken to find her tightly wrapped around him. It was a pleasant feeling, especially when he went to bed feeling like the whole word was coming crushing down onto his shoulders. The same also went for his dear wife, who at times needed to be reminded that he was more than just a person to serve and protect. Indeed, mornings had been a fairly telling sign of their relationship and where it stood.

Hakuno rose up allowing his highly trained and enhanced ears to listen to the distinctive sound of Tamamo puking the contents of her stomach out just down the hallway. That was how he knew their relationship was _**definitely**_ going to take another interesting turn. Scratch that, their whole lives. Honestly, he'd lost track of how many of those they'd had to contend with. That said, his lips ticked upward into a smile as he prayed this change would be one of the more positive ones.

Stifling a yawn, he laid back against the headdress to quietly listen to his wife's vomiting. Now, one would have found such a thing a bit…strange, but Hakuno Kishinami wasn't exactly what one could call a normal man. A normal man hadn't lived what counted as basically three lifetimes, a normal man hadn't been "killed" then brought back to life multiple times, a normal man hadn't encountered and fought legendary figures from the collective history of mankind, a normal man wouldn't have had their mind transported across time and space to start anew and stop an alien invasion.

And lastly, a normal man wouldn't have found himself married to fox-tailed and eared sun goddess.

"Tamamo, you okay in there?" He gently called to her already knowing the answer he was going to get.

"J-J-Just fine, dear! Nothing to- _gack!_ "

He winced as his ears picked up the sound of her continuing to empty out the contents of her stomach. Most days, having superhuman senses could be counted as a plus, other days, not so much. _Is there any knowledge the Corona can give me that covers a goddess' pregnancy? I could seriously use that info right about now._ Swinging his legs over the bed, he stretched his arms upward, enjoying the cool breeze that flowed in from the window. Craning his head around, he smiled a bit seeing the sun had begun to fully rise above the horizon and the clouds signaling the start of a new day. Smirking a bit, began to lightly tip-toe his way down the hallway toward the bathroom where his wife was. The sound of puking had thankfully stopped and in its place came the sound of running water and a mouth being washed out.

Hakuno always found something simply…enchanting about Tamamo's bedhead, not that he'd ever say it. Upon popping his head into the doorway, her foxy ears twitched as their gazes met one another. The two-way smile the human and the goddess preceded the pair embracing one another.

"Sorry about the smell and waking you up." She murmured burying her head in the crux of his neck. "Hehe, no more Indian food for the rest of the week?"

"Yeah, something like that." Kissing the top of her head, he watched with serene interest as her tail swished back and forth. "Don't worry, you didn't wake me up, what about you? Are you feeling alright enough to go to work? I can always call in and let them know you can take the day off." Again, he had a gut feeling what his answer would be, but they got a bit of a kick out of playing this little game. That, and there was a small part of him that was still _scared_.

Odds were she felt his fear, and shared it. Still, Tamamo said nothing as she nuzzled her Master-turned-lover. It felt good to be back in his arms and allow his warmth to wash over her like a tidal wave. "I'd do that if I knew you could stay home with me, that way we'd have the house and whole day all to ourselves. Just imagine the things we could get up to." The pink-haired goddess grinned in feeling the shiver run up his spine. Two lifetimes, numerous life-and-death situations and she _still_ could get him all flustered up like the innocent schoolboy she'd met a lifetime ago. Pulling away, she placed a hand against his cheek. "I'll go get started on breakfast, my treat for causing a bit of a stir this morning." Not letting him get a word in, she reached forward to place a chaste kiss on his cheek.

Just as she pulled way ready to head downstairs toward the kitchen, the brown-haired human acted. It was quite amazing how even with her superhuman reflexes, he still managed to catch her off-guard. His arms were around her waist with her back gently pressing against the door frame, and Hakuno's lips against hers'. Tamamo reacted in the only way she knew how to-by fully embracing her love with all her might. Both of her legs coiled around his waist with her arms quickly following suit. He opened his mouth allowing her tongue to jet inward. Deeply aroused, Tamamo's right hand gliding upward allowing her fingers to brush through his chocolate brown strands. She would have gladly kept her lips attached to his had the need for air not forced Hakuno to separate from her.

Water still dripped from Tamamo's face and cascaded onto the floor. Up close, her eyes resembled glittering topaz Hakuno could have easily lost himself in. The temptation to do so was, the rational side of his mind seize the controls and directed him to pull away. "Heh, guess I have the motivation needed to get through another work day." He chuckled scratching the back of his head.

"As do I," Whispered the reincarnated Caster allowing her tail to extend around his waist. Still pressed together, she felt his body positively react to her actions. "Now, let's put some fuel in that tummy so you can get to work. Don't you have a medical check today?"

"I do, so I might as well get all the food I can. Do you have anything special planned?"

Hakuno felt Tamamo take him by the hands, then came the literal rush of air as his former Servant moved him from their bathroom downstairs to the kitchen of their home. Lightspeed movement, another thing he'd gotten used to, and something they both enjoyed playing around with. When the twenty-eight-year-old opened his eyes again, he and Tamamo were standing in the middle of their large and expansive kitchen. Already, his wife was getting everything set up for breakfast, and for them both to go out. He watched silently as she took several strands of hair from her tail and blew over them. There was a brief shimmer of golden light before each strand transformed into something-a familiar in the shape of a fox. All at once the creatures spread out, some remaining in the kitchen while others moved through the rest of their home.

Some people had servants, well, so too did the Kishinamis. Except theirs were magical familiars created using Tamamo's witchcraft. Almost every household chore they could do with almost superhuman efficiency. Oh, and they made for great guard dogs, or foxes so to speak.

In a matter of minutes both husband and wife were sitting at the wooden table, happily chowing down on yet another well-prepared meal. Hakuno ate at his usual pace while Tamamo seemed a bit more…aggressive in her eating. It didn't go unnoticed by him as she seemed to devour nearly six whole bowls of tamago kake gohan in what must have been record time. After that she moved onto the pancakes; the mere fact that Tamamo had ordered her familiars to prepare two plates' worth told him Hakuno his wife was feeling quite famished. Sensing her hunger, the foxes that had helped her prepare breakfast were hard at work behind the stove and counter preparing more delicious food to serve their mistress.

"Just out of curiosity, you're not going to go off and devour all the food at the inn, are you?" He lightly joked watching her clean off an entire plate to the point where not even crumbs were left.

"I'm just feeling a bit…hungrier than usual, nothing to worry about at all!" Defended the pink-haired woman throwing up her hands. "Besides, better I eat now so when I get there, I'll be operating at one-hundred percent effectiveness! Speaking of which, I'm going to go personally handle the ironing out of your clothes. Don't worry about the dishes, they've got it covered!"

With the same speed she'd used to whisk them away, Tamamo fled the kitchen. Still eating, Hakuno registered the sudden disappearance of several of her fox familiars, their services no longer needed. Small as they may have been, Hakuno counted the dozens or gold-colored particles she left in her wake.

"Exactly how long do you two plan on playing this little game, not that I don't mind watching it play out. It's quite entertaining."

Chuckling, the brown-haired male turned to his right finding a human-sized fox with dark red fur staring back at him. The creature's rusty brown eyes cackled with amusement as did Hakuno's. "If you're enjoying it, why stop? It's not like it's hurting anyone." Stabbing a sliced-up portion of pancakes with his fork, he offered them to his magical familiar. The fox smirked before biting off the delicious morsel. Another interesting thing that hadn't changed, the creature's loud smacking whenever he ate. "Minamikaze, could you look after Tamamo for the day? Just to be safe?"

The fox arched a brow at the human's request. "You sure about that? What if the mood swings start early? Need I remember you you're dealing with a woman with the power of a goddess who at one point possessed the potential to become a world-ending threat? She may just accuse you of babying her and decide to take it out on half of Kyoto."

Hakuno shrugged then went back to his eating. "No threat I haven't faced before, and I'm still standing, aren't I?"

Minamikaze chuckled at the boy's wistful smile. "True, and something tells me if such a thing does happen, you'll be able to stop it by doing what all good husband do to appease their wives-getting down on your knees and groveling."

"It works for you when you're in the dog house, doesn't it?" Laughed the brown-haired male winking at the magical creature.

From the brown-furred beast came a near smoldering gale that would have set off a building's fire alarms, and scared the living crap out of any ordinary person in the area. The Kishinami household was not a normal home, and its occupants were once again, not normal people. Laughing, Hakuno got up and walked over to the counter where he ordered requested a plate full of pancakes. Almost a heartbeat later and he was placing said plate before his long-trusted familiar. The hot gale receded as the beast took a quick sniff of the meal before him while licking his chops.

"Alright, alright. But for the record, I still want my share when the kits are born, got it?" Snapped the fox.

"Now when have I ever skipped out on you or any of my other obligations?"

Giving the human a toothy grin, the foxy spirit eagerly dug into his plate, not caring that he was making a bit of a mess as he did so. Of all the familiars Hakuno had ended up taking command of, Minamikaze was without a doubt the messiest eater of the bunch. In a way, Hakuno actually found that trait a bit endearing which served to deepen the relationship between the wizard and his magical guardian. Not to mention he could now see Minamikaze's eating habits as practice for when he himself had to persuade over a dinner table containing either a little version of himself or Tamamo.

"Oh, one more thing before you head out for the day." Spoke Minamikaze causing Hakuno to look in his direction. "Make sure to snag him some of that cherry-flavored whisky while you're at work, me and the guys could use it."

Placing an annoyed hand to his head, the human shot a sideways grin at his familiar. "You do realize it'll look bad if me, a guy who's in senior management was caught stealing company products, don't you?"

"So, you've done it before? Not to mention have you still not grasped what it is you've married into?" Cackled the red-furred beast.

At that moment, Hakuno felt several sets of eyes, inhuman eyes, settle on him. With a complete straight face, he glanced around the kitchen to find just about every fox was now staring at him with what could only be described as a deadpan stare. It wasn't the first time Hakuno had been the subject of such a thing, and frankly, it was far from the last. "Point to you, you talking furball."

Had Tamamo been present, she would have blasted her fellow kitsune into the backyard, and perhaps into their neighbors' backyard as well. "Just imagine when you and Lady Tamamo have your kits running around, ah, the things we'll be teaching those little ones! I can hardly wait!"

Hakuno's smile went from cooked to being completely forced on. _You know, somehow a Holy Grail War is looking mighty nice right about now._

* * *

"Mornin' boss!"

Rolling his eyes as he slammed the door shut, Hakuno adjusted the strap of his bag as he turned to face his co-workers. To his right stood a silver-haired man with an ear-to-ear grin. Pride and amusement cackled in his dark green eyes as he beamed at Hakuno, who merely smiled back. His disposition was completely opposite of the figure who stood beside him. The dark-haired man with a growing mustache looked as if he were at a funeral. "Let me take a wild guess, Yutaka won his eight hundred yen?"

"Actually, it's eight hundred and _ten_ yen." Sang the silver-haired man while his coworker merely groaned.

Hakuno looked to his dark-haired friend with a sympathetic smile. "Do I have a reason to be concerned, Hideharu?"

"Oh for Pete's sake, it was one bad bet!" Howled the dark-haired man throwing up his hands before crossing them. The two men burst into laughter at his expression causing him to turn his back to them. "Look, chuckles here kept me from going any higher than that. Besides, this medical test goes well, there's a chance we might get a pay raise, right?"

"There's that positive thinking I was looking for!" Exclaimed Yutaka throwing his arm around his coworker. Hakuno didn't need to see Hideharu's face to know he was smiling, the positive shift in his aura was proof enough.

What stood before him was in Hakuno's mind, the thing he'd truly been fighting for over the course of two lifetimes. In the early autumn sunlight, the windows on the twenty-story building before him glimmered like polished silver. To the normal person, the skyscraper was just another in a long set that dotted the landscape of Kyoto. They were right to an extent, but to Hakuno, the half-circular structure before him represented more-it was the cumulation of two lifelong journeys. As his coworkers chatted amongst themselves while occasionally glancing back to him, Hakuno scanned the building, literally. Over two hundred offices, over three hundred workers, scientist and so forth, all going about their daily work habits with no interruptions.

"Hey, Hakuno! Something interesting happening in the sky or do you plan on joining the rest of us?" Called Yutaka drawing him from his thoughts.

"Of course, someone has to make sure you meet your quota for the day, Yutaka!"

Now it was Hideharu's turn to laugh and Yutaka's to groan in annoyance. Even as he followed after them, Hakuno couldn't help but give one last passing glance toward the blue sky. It was hard to believe once upon a time Tron lines raced from one end to another signifying the fact what he was looking at was artificial instead of real. Everything was composed of ones and zeroes, including him. But not anymore, that was another lifetime ago, literally.

He'd long-since realized his time in the Moon Cell as a virtual ghost had influenced the career path he'd taken in this new life. Having superhuman brain power meant he could have done like go into computer analysis, code writing, stock broking, and so forth, but he didn't do any of those things. Instead, here he was, working at a company that specialized alcohol and food production. Given his family background, the family he'd had to rediscover, it wasn't as surprising as one would have thought. Logically speaking, it seemed only natural that a boy descendent of farmers would find himself working at a company that sold food all over the world, and made sure that said food was safe enough to eat as he was going to spend the day doing.

Aisaka Holdings' Kyoto facility was best described as a beehive of activity seven days a week, and Hakuno was actually a bit grateful for that. The company exported whine and beverages to almost every corner of the globe with the production of various fruits and livestock being tying up the end of things quite nicely. From time to time, it resulted in Hakuno coming home smelling…funny, which usually lead to Tamamo attempting to jump him the second he stepped into the door. He had a feeling this afternoon was going to be one of those times as he first checked into his office, then headed down into the building's lab where the latest batch of fruits and vegetables were being tested. Half of them had been naturally grown, the half of the batch was artificial. It wasn't like the world was facing some sort of food crisis or something, but people were showing a bigger willingness to experiment with what they ate and where it came from.

Viral outbreak jokes tended to common fly on days when anything artificial was being tested, and when the higher-ups decided it was safe to market. Yutaka liked to remark that if such a thing happened, their faces would be the ones showed to the public so the company could save itself.

The morning passed without incident, either official and unofficial thus Hakuno found himself happily lying back at his seat in one of the building's many cafeterias. After hours of looking at food and not being allowed to taste or even touch it without permission, lunch break seemed to become something of a reliever for all the built-up stress and tension.

It was also the time when Hakuno found himself being pestered with requests to swoop meals with his coworkers, starting with the pair he'd walked into the building with.

"Hey, Hakuno,"

"What is it, Yutaka?" Questioned the brown-haired male chewing on his egg rolls. As he chewed, he smirked in watching Yutaka and Hideharu look between each other in a silent debate over who was going to ask the question. "Now, I know I can be a bit weird at times, but don't you both have food on your plates or am I just imagining that?"

Hideharu grunted while pushing aside his plate. "Yeah, but, well, Hakuno it's just…"

"Dude, are you really going to make us say it?" Yutaka's frown deepened seeing the near arrogant smirk that formed along his friend's face. Moaning in disappointment, he let his forehead hit the metal table. "Hakuno, there's food, then there's food cooked by _your wife_! Come on, don't torture us like this!"

"But I like torturing you guys, you and everyone else that comes begging me to share my lunch with them." Hakuno laughed.

"Spoken like a true future executive, I feel so proud."

Two of the male trio groaned in annoyance at the female voice, the brown-haired member of the bunch simply chuckled as he craned his head to his left. Red hair dark as wine and eyes a shade and amethyst-colored eyes stared at the three, pink-tinted lips curved upward in a cruel smirk that caused the two men to sink further into despair. Not missing a beat, the newcomer pulled herself a seat then dropped her bag onto the table with a visible thud.

"You've corrupted him, Momoka-chan." Snapped Yutaka giving the redhead a sideways glare.

"Why I'm just doing my job as Hakuno's dear senpai, after all, unlike you two, he has the opportunity to rise higher, perhaps one day making company CEO." Chuckled the mystic-eyed woman.

"I hope not, I'm perfectly happy here." Mouthed Hakuno throwing up his arms with his back to the window. Through the glass he felt the rays of sunlight tickle his skin causing the hairs across hid body to stand on end. In a minute or two, he was sure he'd be getting either a phone call or a massager telling him he had a call to his office. In the meantime though, "I'm perfectly happy at the level I'm at. Besides, I'd much rather share my food with you guys then some crusty corporate scourges." To empathize his point, he picked up two of his egg rolls to dump them in front of Hideharu and Yutaka respectively. Their eyes lit up like Christmas lights before taking hold of their chopsticks.

"You're too nice, you know that?" Laughed Momoka.

"What can I say, it's part of who I am." Whimsically answered back the former Master. "So, how's your-"

 _ **BING! BING!**_

It felt…strange, knowing what was the come, and not at all being surprised when it happened. In a way, when Hakuno heard his phone buzz it really felt like the cloth before his eyes had been pulled away and he was forced to confront the reality of the situation.

He still had to put on an act for his companions, all of whom stopped eating to stare at him. Hakuno wasn't sure how much Hideharu and Yutaka heard, but Momoka definitely heard his conversation, when it came to him and his wife her politeness went out the window, but only because she cared about the two of them beyond what a handler should have. An eternity seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and when he removed the smart phone from his ear, it looked as if a doomsday alarm had been sounded.

"Tamamo, it's Tamamo." He simply stated.

"Is she alright? Did something happen?" Immediately snapped Hideharu jumping to his feet. "You can my car, it's-"

"Probably nothing for us to be concerned with." Of course, Momoka was as calm as could be. Almost directly across from him, she captured Hakuno's honey-colored eyes and held his attention for a splint second. The undercover magus read the situation in a heartbeat and came to an immediate conclusion. "We'll explain the situation to Otani and the others, for now, just go to your wife, oh, and tell her Hideharu and Yutaka say thank you for the food. _Right_ boys?"

 _At the very least she's not getting on my case the same way Rin used to, at least not yet._ Mused the magus. Thanks guys, I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Just say hi to her for us," Winked the redhead watching him quickly gather his things. He was almost ten steps from the table when Momoka's voice reached his ears nearly causing him to freeze dead in his tracks. "Congratulations by the way!"

* * *

Wrong as it might have sounded, there was a part of Tamamo that hoped her husband wouldn't ever arrive. She hated herself for thinking such a thing, but no matter how hard she tried, the fear wouldn't go away. Said fear manifested in the room temperature haphazardly rising and falling; it eventually got to the point where her doctor made a comment about it causing her to apologize.

"You know, most woman who get news like this would be over the moon," There was a short chuckle from the peach-haired woman standing by the doorway to her left. Tamamo shot her a bit of a worried smile as she went back to fiddling with her ring, the ring she'd come to cherish arguably more than life itself. A second later and a hand fell over her own giving her reason to look upward. Shimmering pools of leaf green met her own topaz yellow. "Listen, I know I may not be as into this whole 'magic' thing as I should be, but I know medicine and I know people. Tamamo Kishinami, you're carrying the child of the man you love, and probably one of the kindest idiots I've ever met. You don't have any reason to cry or be nervous."

She would like to have blamed what she did next on her coming pregnancy hormones. Both of Tamamo's arms looped around the neck of her family's "personal" doctor. "T-Thank you for the k-kind words, Dr. Suzumura; I believe I…needed some words such as that."

"Don't mention it, Foxy." Both women chuckled at the rather cute nickname the former Servant had allowed herself to be called. Whenever the name was uttered, there was always a part of Tamamo that did a double-take. Her fox ears and tail were part of her pride, but they were also what had ended her life as a mortal and began her reputation as a "monster". Now here she was in the arms of a mortal woman, said woman soothing her nerves until her husband, also a mortal, could arrive and have his suspicions confirmed.

"Um, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Sounded a male voice followed by a nervous chuckle.

It was amazing how for a person with the power to lower the temperature to arctic levels, Hakuno could sweat quite a bit. Both women knew it wasn't because he'd sprinted half-way across Shimogyō, the act would have been less of a sprint and more of a "stroll" for the man who'd won two Holy Grail Wars against impossible odds. His first steps into the room were wobbling as if any second his limbs would break like glass and leaving him a tattered wreck on the floor. Dr. Suzumura couldn't help but chuckle at the nervous of the man who'd faced more than his fair share of dangers. She supposed the sight merely proved several old sayings right, one of them belonging to her mother. Give a man the fiercest ogre in all the lands and he'll charge in with a smile, but put a woman before him and he'll fold like a house of cards. Nowhere was that more evident in how Hakuno Kishinami looked to his wife.

Respectfully, she stepped out of the way allowing the former Master and Servant duo to directly face each other. Tears were accumulating in the corner of both of their eyes as they came within arms' length of each other.

"So we're…we're really…" Hakuno stammered looking more and more like he was going to lose it any second.

"Y-Y-Yes, w-we really are." Answered the pink-haired woman even as she vigorously nodded her head. "We're having a baby, Haku-chan!" No sooner had the words left her, did the sun goddess throw her arms around her love.

"Yeeah, great, yes this room is magically made to be sound proof, but not Tamamo-proof so could you keep it down a bit." Snarked the peach-haired doctor witness to the passionate display.

"Hey, can you blame us?" Happily, chirped the former Servant. "It's not that we didn't know it was possible, it's just-"

"You being the surprised one about a pregnancy, there's a shocker." Whistled Hakuno wrapping an arm around his wife. "Dr. Suzumura, we're sorry, it's just well…we're still in a bit of shock. I'm sure you know but, uh, starting a…family and all that…"

"Yeah, neither of you thought you'd lived long enough to do such a thing." Concluded the "special-needs" doctor. "Hey, if I remember right, you did win a Holy Grail Royale, if you ask me, building a family sounds like the perfect reward for such a thing. Now then, are you two going to sit down so I can explain this whole pregnancy thing or do you want to wing it. Tamamo, it's…been a while since you…gave…birth from what I understand."

"Almost three thousand years or so, guess we should be glad that Tamamo's still got it in her, huh?" Laughed the wizard, to which the doctor joined in.

Tamamo, on the other hand, wasn't laughing. The grin she wore on her face could be described as nothing short of malicious, quite like a certain… "old friend of hers". Her right hand reached behind her husband back where it came down. It wasn't the harshness of the impact that got him, it was near infernal _heat_ of the blow, it felt like being hit with a hand-shaped hot poker. To his credit, Hakuno kept from yelping in pain, though that didn't mean he was able to keep it all in.

Not once throughout Dr. Suzumura's entire lecture did their hands ever let go of each other. While she noticed this, the peach-haired woman said absolutely nothing. In light of what the pair before her had been through she felt it was alright to let it slide.

Oh, and Dr. Suzumura herself needed to focus her own mind on ensuring Hakuno and Tamamo knew how to proceed with the latter's pregnancy. Hell, she needed to be sure she was giving them accurate information for her own sake as much as theirs. And possibly everyone else in all of Japan, maybe even the world.

 _Pregnancies with normal, non-magical people I've done. Pregnancies with magi I've seen my fair share of, but this? A human whose soul has been stretched and toyed with like a rubber band, who also happens to contain what's practically an energy reactor? Him and a woman who used to be a Servant who also happens to be a goddess with the potential to destroy the world as we know it should she be pushed far enough? Heh, I could write a book on this!_

By the time she was finished it was late into the afternoon. Slow as it might have been, the sun began its gradually descent towards the horizon signaling the end of another day. With a bag full of books and manuals they were both due to read (and Hakuno would have completed in a single night), they were sent on their way. Tamamo's first official appointment was in a week, by then she and Hakuno fully expected the Magus Association and such to know of her pregnancy. Strangely, neither of them feared that happening, perhaps because they knew even the heads of the magi community wouldn't be stupid enough to try anything against a woman with the power to incinerate a city with minimal effort. And said woman would be going through hormonal mood swings.

Magi were many things, but stupid wasn't one of them.

Most of the time anyway.

Neither of them really felt much like heading home, and both had phoned into their jobs to explain that they would be taking the rest of the day off. If they were being honest with themselves, they didn't want to go home, not yet.

Fukui Park was close enough for Hakuno to park their car and for the two of them to go out walking. It was a fairly new addition to the Nakagyō ward but it was quickly becoming one of the most-visited locations of the district. Given the news they'd just had confirmed, they found the park's growing popularity somewhat fitting, especially since something told them they were going to be visiting the park a lot more often.

Before them lay a multitude of people going about their business, enjoying the late afternoon to its fullest.

"So, um…I guess once again, we've screwed the laws of physics and magic and all that, huh?" Started off the human scratching his cheek.

Smiling, she leaned her head against his shoulder as she always did whenever they had a moment or two of peace to themselves. That too, had not changed in the two lifetimes they'd known one another, fought beside one another, and loved one another. If there was ever a sign that love could last across time and space, Tamamo liked to believe moments like this showed it. "You know, such a trait might as well be a personal Skill of yours, it's not at all a bad one, Haku-chan. Do you think our child will inherent such a trait?"

"Heh, I kind of hope not." Admitted the brown-haired man with a whimsical smile that soon became distant. It wasn't that he wasn't proud of the trials he'd gone through, it was just the pain and trauma that came with them he wouldn't have wished upon anyone, least of all his own child. "Don't you remember how many heart attacks I gave Rin with all my crazy stunts, or better yet, all the near-scares I put _you_ through?"

"Ahhh, there are times you certainly did scare me, darling. That said," Taking him by the cheek, Tamamo tenderly brushed her lips against his. She couldn't contain her giggling when his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "You always came out of it, you always made sure _I_ came out of it alive with all of my fur intact. To me, the word 'incredible' doesn't even begin to describe you, and that makes me proud that this little one will be calling you daddy one day."

"They're also going to have an incredible woman to call mom." Laughed the former Master. "You're gonna be an awesome parent."

She was happy that he had faith in her, because Tamamo's faith in her ability to serve as a parental figure wasn't quite as high as one would have thought. Subconsciously, her hand drifted to her flat stomach where new life had begun to take form. "I just…there are so many things I want to pass onto our children, but there are so many things I _don't_ want them to inherent from me."

"Like your dramatic tendencies?"

"That'll be part of their character!" She naturally defended. "Besides, our child shall be born of the sun, it's only natural their personality will be as bombastic and shining as the me before the horizon!"

"Oh, in that case I guess I should worry for whatever friends they make, they're going to have quite a lot to deal with when we're not looking after them."

Fixing him with a cute pout, Tamamo snuggled up close to her husband. "Maaaster, you're being mean to me. You just found out I'm carrying your child and this is how you treat me?" Muttering an apology, he quickly wrapped her up in her arms causing her false anger to fade. It never ceased to warm her heart how comfortable he'd grown with displays of public affection. "I'm hoping they have your eyes, above all else, I want our child to inherent your beautiful eyes, Hakuno."

Rather than look away, he looked downward, a trait she'd noticed he'd developed whenever someone complimented him on his looks, especially his eyes. It was a cute show of humility that had won the brown-haired human his fair share of admirers, the greatest of them all sitting beside him. "Even though I know it's going to be trouble, I'm hoping they have your ears, and maybe your tail too." Hakuno deeply suspected Tamamo's animalistic genes would poke through in their children gaining a none-human feature be it a set of ears, a tail, or even their eyes. It'd be up to the two of them to keep their offspring's features disguised when in public, at least until they were old enough to use their shapeshifting to hide them. When that time came, he knew a tough conversation was going to come with it.

A quiet calm fell over the couple, who lost themselves in the moment. Following a cool breeze that scattered fallen leaves about the park, Tamamo reached out with her hand to take Hakuno's. Gently, she pressed it against his stomach. There was no need for words as the brown-haired survivor opened his mind to the metaphysical world that lay around him, things that couldn't been seen with physical eyes but with the spirit. Immediately, the first thing he noticed was the tiny spark floating in the center of Tamamo's being. The luminous radiance of her soul was nursing the small mass and would continue to do so for months to come.

"Any guesses on the gender? Personally, I'm betting on a boy." Whispered the former Servant.

He wasn't exactly surprised. Though Tamamo had no personal preferences when it came to children, Hakuno always felt she'd like to have a miniature him to look after. He didn't think he'd mind a younger version of him that's more outgoing and jubilant to be around.

"I wouldn't mind a boy or a girl, hell, to be frank, I think I'd be okay with one of each." Chuckled the human causing his wife to give him a sideways smirk. "Hey now, having said that, I think we should focus on raising this little guy for a year first." He added gently rubbing her belly.

"True, true, but I can't help but get excited, I haven't this way since…since…" As her eyes became distant Hakuno brought her in close so her head could once again lay atop his shoulders. The word "traumatic" just barely summed up what Tamamo's life as a mortal had been, and yet it wasn't quite enough. Tragic fit the bill as well since the womanly aspirations she held at the time had been cruelly torn away. Foolish as it may have been, she'd held onto them, even as she was transformed into a Heroic Spirit to answer the call of a magus. Most of them would have scuffed at the wishes she'd held, and a majority of them had save for a few she'd let in close. "Above all else, I want our child to grow up happy."

"They will." Hakuno assured kissing her forehead. "We'll make sure of that, no matter what it takes. Now then, next topic, who do you think is going to find out? When I left work I'm pretty sure Momoka already knew, and if she knows then you know that Chen will know it, probably by tomorrow morning. Scratch that, maybe sooner."

Hsu Chen, head of Blue Star Shipping and Transport, a man who'd just recently entered the list for top twenty richest men in the world. What the general public didn't know was he was also a magus, a high-ranking magus with access to resources most could only dream off.

But before all that, he was without a doubt one of the closest friends the pair had. Even though he was nosey as hell, especially when it came to his friends.

"Hey, I can always ask Pemetrekis for advice, she did after all just give birth little over two years ago." Joked Tamamo thinking of the black and white-haired woman who'd become another unlikely ally of theirs. "After he's had some time to gloat, I'm sure he'll contact Melissa to let her know, and from there, well, Leonard might make number three. Oh well, I'm sure he'll still send his regards."

"Looking at gifts already, are we?"

"Mikon, can you blame me?" Came her humorous response. "Half the fun of having a baby is seeing the reactions of your friends and loved ones, it shows how much they care about you, and it lets the baby know they have a true family awaiting them."

Almost a second after the words were spoken, a long and quite audible groan sounded from the former Servant's stomach. Naturally, Tamamo blushed while looking away.

"Seems our kit wants some food before we start talking about him meeting his 'uncles and aunts'." Chuckled the Holy Grail War participant. He offered Tamamo his hand as he stood up, smiling, she took it while keeping the other positioned on her tummy. "So far, I'm really enjoying this extra life."

"My dear husband, I can now say without a doubt, we're just getting started." Not so surprisingly, she took the lead in guiding him. Hakuno had no doubt over the next several weeks Tamamo's appetite would continue to grow, and grow weirder than she'd care to admit. There were instructions on how to handle a pregnant woman and even a pregnant fox, but a goddess?

As he'd always done, Hakuno would learn and adapt, and he'd enjoy himself every step of the way.

* * *

 **And there goes the first part of what should be a seven or ten-part little story. I'm sure I left a few tidbits for you all to guess when and where this story is taking place, but one thing is for sure, it definitely takes place after Fate Extella: The Umbral Star, Caster's route of course. How did they go from the Moon Cell to the real world with flesh and blood and all that? What was this second Holy Grail War they fought in? Again, that'll be explored in coming chapters as Tamamo's pregnancy continues. Until next time when this little series continues!**


	2. Chapter 2-A Shining World

**It was nice to see a few people are interested in this story so here's the next chapter featuring some more pregnancy hijinks and the ever to be expected reactions from friends and family.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2-A Shining World**_

"I hate the fact this is going to become a habit." Groaned the fox-eared woman as she rose her head above the toilet for what felt like the tenth time. She wasn't sure what annoyed her more, expelling everything she'd eaten over the day or the fact she was potentially clogging up the toilet. Probably the latter since it fell to her husband to unclog it. Said husband was standing behind her, holding her waist-length pink hair. Really, he was far too forgiving with her for his own good, but Tamamo didn't have it in her to complain about it.

Hakuno heard the muscles in her stomach already beginning to constrict, Tamamo picked up on the feeling as well. A second later and her face was hovering above the toilet again. "Don't worry about me, just let it all out. I'll clean this all up once you're finished."

There was a brief pause. "But…that's the…problem. I'm not sure when I'll-" Her words were cut off as another surge rose from her stomach and left through her mouth. It wasn't the worst sound Hakuno had ever heard, that honor went to human screaming, explosions ripping flesh and steel apart, and perhaps at the top of the least-snoring. Oh yes, he'd gladly take his wife's vomiting over the snores he'd heard during his stay with the Hsu family. Following another two minutes or so, Tamamo seemed finished, at least for the moment. "I'm sorry, for the next couple of months I'm going to be keeping you up, and not just with the vomiting."

"Well, considering you're carrying my child, I've already gotten used to going a few nights without sleep. Wouldn't be my first time." Giving her hands a light squeeze, he bumped foreheads with the pink-haired woman. "I'd rather be kept up by you and our child than the fear of death and doomsday hanging over our heads."

"Sometimes, I really do think you're too kind to exist in a chaotic world like this, Hakuno." Mumbled the fox.

After washing her face, she silently tip-toed back to their bedroom while Hakuno set up cleaning up the bathroom. Again, it was only the second night of what would be many where he'd show how great a plumber he would have been. Though she still felt a bit queasy, Tamamo couldn't help but sit upright in bed and listen to her husband work. Hakuno always seemed to be at his calmest whenever he was in the midst of something else: studying, working, and anything else that required his mind to be one-hundred percent focused. It was a trait that had caught the eyes of many, and made him desirable as a worker in all sorts of fields. She couldn't help but be proud of her lover for being so popular, yet there was also a spark of jealously and caution as well as she knew just how cruel and untrustworthy people could be. Far too many would have liked to take advantage of her brown-haired lover for their own expanses.

Slowly, her hands drifted down to her stomach. It would only be a matter of time before it went from flat to the size of a balloon. Tamamo would have been lying if she didn't admit to being both excited and terrified; ever since they'd receive the news, the two feelings had fiercely battled inside of her for dominance. Truly, she hadn't felt turmoil like this since the Great Holy Grail War. Fear had given way to joy, joy had eventually been replaced with shock which became shame that she felt would crush her underfoot. And then, like a ray of light through the clouds, her Master, her lover, had shined his light upon her burning away the shame thus returning the bubbly witch to her true self. In more ones than one.

"Your father's a very special man, little one. Here's hoping you get more of him than me." Giggled the former Servant rubbing her stomach. Though only a few weeks old at best, Tamamo could already feel their child's soul beginning to take shape. Barely as big as a candle, but it was certainly there. "Oh, then again, if you end up with too much of his charisma you may have swarms of girls, and a few boys coming after you like he did. Heh, if you're a girl then it'll be the reverse." At the thought of their child becoming popular with the opposite sex, Tamamo couldn't help but get a little bit excited. She'd grown to love the peace and quiet of their lives, but that didn't mean she wasn't up for a little excitement here and there. Not to mention when it came to romance, she considered herself a foremost expert. After all, had she found a man who was truly one in a million?

Brilliantly reflecting the light of the autumn moon was the proof of that discovery. Hakuno possessed two things that made most women go weak at the knees: an eye for detail and amazing insight into the hearts of others. Those two traits had come together in his choice for the wedding ring he'd used to propose to Tamamo. In their "previous life", the Moon Cell's Regalia had served as their wedding rings, proof of their victory and their unbreakable bond. She had to admit, the blue-lined silver ring was nice, but compared to the jewel currently adorning her finger, it simply couldn't compare.

Blazing orange like the sun, encrusted in a dazzling gold frame shaped after the sun itself. Engraved into the jewel itself was the kanji for "goddess", letting all who saw it know what her brown-haired lover thought of her. It also served as their little joke…and a subtly warning to those who lived in the world of magecraft. The symbol wasn't just a show of affection, it was an indicator, a rather blatant one. Tamamo had felt like she was going to faint that evening when Hakuno had gotten down on one knee and presented the ring to her from the confines of a velvet box. Her brain had temporarily shut down…and once it started back up, she proceeded to put her lover at death's door via the tightest bear-hug imaginable. Even all he'd been through in his previous lives couldn't compare to the level of force she'd used to nearly crush him. Had it not been for their ring of friends and allies gently prodding her, Tamamo would have succeeded what countless Servants, a demon from the pits of Hell, and an alien super weapon could not.

It was such a fond memory she enjoyed looking back on, and it was one she'd been retelling to either a miniature version of herself or a mini-Hakuno. Those were the thoughts that allowed the joy to override the fear in her. Silently, another hand fell atop of hers.

"Thinking?"

"You know me too well, my dear." Giggled the goddess allowing her body to slid to the right where she fell into the arms of her former Master. "When I dream, I think I'm going to try to take a peak into the future, some of it is worry…but I also want to know what our child will be like."

"That's an easy one, they'll be bright like the sun." Laughed the human placing a light kiss atop his wife's head.

"Or they could be mysterious yet soothing like the moon, or shall I say, like you?" Responded the magic-user. Just as Hakuno's hand had wrapped around her, Tamamo's tail did the same, moving around his waist as she'd done over a hundred times before. He enjoyed the feeling, especially when she tickled his side using the tip of her tail. There were times when she'd used such affection to either put his mind at ease, or win an argument in her favor. "Think it might be better if we keep it a surprise?"

Hakuno couldn't help but chuckle. "That sounds surprisingly optimistic of you, I like it."

"Hey, remember, I am a _sun_ goddess! Besides, it's only natural whichever one of us they take after, our child will surely be a shining star!" The bombastic fire smearing a bit as the pink-haired woman. "Mikon, speaking of which…do you think…it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"Are you asking me for my input or are you worried about the betting pool?" Against all odds, against everything that Tamamo had believed, they'd built up quite an oddball yet trusted group of friends and associates. At their respective jobs and in the world of magi. Said friends and associates would surely catch wind of Tamamo's pregnancy…and given how some of them would react, he could already see the chaos that came with predictions of gender and the inevitable baby shower. Like his wife, he too had enjoyed the peace and quiet, but something told him by week's end, their lives were going to be very, very busy. "To answer your question…I don't know. I guess we'll find out on our next trip to Dr. Suzumura's."

"Perhaps that's for the best, after all, not all surprises are bad." Stated the sun goddess with a brief smile. Sadness slowly came over her face as she buried it int the crux of her husband's neck. "…From the bottom of my heart…I wish my…my parents could see me, see us. I wish…I wish they were able to hold their grandchild when they're born."

Both his arms looped around her waist, completing the embrace. It went without saying that their lives were complicated, and that complexity extended to their relationship. On one hand, he looked to be a normal guy while Tamamo looked to be a normal woman. Except she wasn't, she was the reincarnated spirit of a woman close to a thousand years old, who herself was a piece of a divine goddess. All of that basically meant one thing-the only family she had was either long dead or unreachable. At least, not without breaking some _very_ serious rules that would come with grave consequences. There was no mistake that Tamamo was happy to be accepted into the Kishinami Family, but she still felt the ping of loneliness and heartache when she thought of the mortal pair that had raised her as Mizukume. What she wouldn't have given for them to be able to see her now.

Almost a thousand years and countless life times spent in Holy Grail Wars, and yet Tamamo still couldn't shake the image of her dear adoptive parents. They were _her_ memories, not ones belonging to her divine self or some other incarnation, but well and truly hers'. At times, looking back upon them was painful, but at other times she felt they gave her more motivation to stand up and walk ahead. Yes, they may have been poor farmers, but they raised her to be something more, something truly special. After a time, she began joking that her dear Master was just the type of man they'd wanted her to bring home, and the type she would have been proud to introduce them to. Alas, as it always did, life turned out differently.

All that said, by some miracle, she still managed to know what the tender love of a parent felt like, from her own eventual in-laws.

The pair laid back in bed, ready to return to the realm of dreams. Hakuno's hand was protectively wrapped around his wife's waist. Said wife did the exact same thing, coiling her arms around his abdomen. It was better they get all the physical contact in now because over the next couple of months semi-peaceful nights like this were going to become a rarity. There were going to be mornings where they woke up feeling like crap, but to see a little bundle of joy in their arms or at the breakfast table, it'd all be worth it.

* * *

"You really don't have to do this for me, Hakuno. I…I can make it to work on my own." Began the former Servant. Were it not for her protection, her animalistic tail and ears would have been swishing back and forth as they always did when she was nervous. Given his own supernatural abilities, Hakuno was able to see them clear as day.

"True, but remember, as your husband it's my job to take care of you. _Especially_ since you're carrying my child." Winked the brown-haired man. "Now come on, if we're lucky, we'll be able to get to the inn before the morning rush is in full-swing."

"Well, how can I resist when you put it like that?" Surrendered the former Servant with a soft smile. Without another word, she slid into the passenger seat of the car. As she did so, Tamamo realized they were going to have to start looking at baby seats. Given his vast skill set, Hakuno could have just built one for themselves, but Tamamo fingered it'd be better for them to go out and buy one. It would only be one of the many shopping trips they'd be doing over the next several months if all went well. Tamamo could hardly wait.

Luck was with them as it hadn't quite started to rain in full. Kyoto was a beautiful place year-round, but like any location, it had its share of downsides. One of said downsides was the rain in the fall. Now, having regained a good chunk of her divine power, if Tamamo wanted to, she could simply push away the rain clouds with a thought and have the sun shine away. In the aftermath of the last Great Holy Grail War where she'd "reclaimed" her true power she took a vow to limit how much she interfered in the day-to-day workings of the world. She was no fool, it was a known fact that the Age of the Gods had passed, it was the Age of Man now, and she'd worked quite hard to make sure of that almost eight years ago. All of that made her wishful that her child would have a place in the world, though they carried the blood of the divine, they would also carry the blood of man. In particular, one of the finest men to ever be born.

The streets were steadily becoming crowded and blocked as the morning drew on with people of all sorts beginning their daily lives. If the rain picked up then traffic would only increase, that would be trouble for Hakuno, who would have to travel half-way across town just to get to work. That was, so long as he wanted to maintain the mask of normalcy they both lived their daily lives with. All it would take was a simple thought and he could move himself and the car across a few miles and drop it right into the parking lot. Again though, there wouldn't be much fun in doing that, not to mention it'd make quite a scene.

Speaking of a scene, that's what they found when they arrived at the Senbonzakura Inn, Tamamo's pride and joy.

As anyone could have told you, Kyoto had no shortage of inns and hotels for visitors and tourist to stay. Quite a few were well known while others weren't quite able to make the top ten list.

And then there was the Senbonzakura Inn, which occupied a special place all of its own.

Yes, it was a well-constructed and dazzling building five-story building that stood at the forefront of an artificial forest, which itself was open to guests for any and all manner of events ranging from dinning to exercise to weddings. To Tamamo and the staff's great pride, they'd hoisted almost twenty weddings since the inn's grand opening; said weddings had yielded incredibly devoted and loving marriages. The Senbonzakura Inn had only been open for little more than five years, but in that time period it had gained quite a reputation not just in Kyoto, but in the entire country. And the world of magi as well, after all, even magus and the like needed a place to relax and do business from time to time. With that thought in mind, the inn had been secured, built in record time, and open to both the general public and magi world under the supervision of one Tamamo Kishinami, formerly Tamamo-no-Mae.

Hakuno sensed the countless souls behind the sliding doors, their excitement gave them away like smoke to a flame. Upon opening the doors, the smirk he'd been fighting fully blossomed.

"SURPRISE!"

They'd actually been expecting it, but that didn't make the array of smiling faces and joyful grins any less heart-warming. Matter of fact, Tamamo couldn't help but show a few tears at the sight of her employees, her "second family" almost, all standing before her holding presents of all sorts.

"Seems like some people already know." Mused the honey-eyed man placing an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Alright, I'll bite who leaked the info?"

Amongst the group, a single male stepped forward. Just around Hakuno's age, or perhaps a year or two younger with a more…robust body shape. Once about a time, that same shape had been used ruthlessly harass the man, but now the big bulk served as a physical representation of what lay inside-a heart full of acceptance and determination. "I, um, sorry, Boss. I…kinda let it slip once I…picked up the signs." A hand went to the mop-like mess of pitch-black hair before the man bowed in apology. "I accept any punishment you feel fit to give out, Tamamo-sama."

Stepping forward was a woman, a tad bit older than the male slime yet shapely build, the kind that had attracted quite a bit of attention from customers in the past. The brunette bright green eyes sparkled with amused as she slapped the backside of her co-worker. "Actually, Osamu here overhead the news alongside yours truly, we then promptly worked together to spread the news. So…put me next to our oaf."

Tamamo wiped away the lone tear that slipped from her eyes, her smile never once faltering. "Osamu, Matsuko, I'm not angry, quite the opposite. Oh, come here all of you!" Without missing a beat, the former Servant threw herself into the arms of her employees, who threw open their arms (those that were free anyway). It was only a matter of time before Hakuno joined them, jubilant.

For customers and guests coming in, it was quite a spectacle seeing the inn's owner and her husband being embraced by her staff. All in all, it was the sort of thing that was best left for the early morning, before the restaurant portion of the inn had opened or they received the daily influx of guests. No one would pay too mention mind to the public display of affection, civilian or magus. Amongst its many facts, it was well known that the Senbonzakura was owned and run by a woman who was as eccentric as she was kind and intelligent. In the unlikely event someone spoke up, well, said owner's husband had a _very_ devious mind that could be put to use when pressed, and the employees were quite protective of their boss.

It took almost ten minutes for Hakuno to load all the gifts into his car. A pleasurable waste of time that drew quite a bit of attention from onlookers. Regulars at the inn's sit-in restaurant waved and greeted him on their way in and out. Several congratulated him having already deduced the only possible reason for the presents and earlier display. Hakuno had a gut feeling in some parts of Kyoto, he and his wife were going to become the talk of the town. All that was saying nothing of the reception he'd get once he made it to work. One look at the backseat of his car and his co-workers would be on him like vultures, at least those who hadn't already figured it out.

Tamamo herself cooked him lunch using the restaurant's kitchen. Some would have argued it was a violation of rules and regulations, but Tamamo had made her own rules upon opening the inn. One such rule allowed employees (especially her) the right to use the kitchen for personal matters so long as they gave notice. If anyone doubted that the pink-haired woman had truly grown a soft-spot for other people, the dozens of evenings and nights the employees had spent behind the stove and oven were valid evidence. In addition to that, he received more than a few extra side dishes that he knew weren't meant for him, but for his co-workers at the office as well.

Ever the faithful wife, the former Caster couldn't help but watch from the window as the blue-colored car pulled out of the parking lot and made its way back into traffic. Knowing her husband, it'd be almost half an hour before he showed up at work. Given the work Hakuno had put in, as well as the…ahem, connections he possessed, one little slip up would be excused. Once he was out of sight, Tamamo breathed out a sigh. For her, the workday had officially begun.

Or that's what she thought until she walked into her office and found Osamu and Matsuko practically bouncing on their heels rather than seating in the chairs before her desk.

"You know, there are times I wonder why I hired you two. Let alone made you," She directed her attention toward Osamu." My top manager."

Neither humans could hold their laughter in while the woman took her seat behind the desk. Knowing they were alone and had a moment to themselves, Tamamo let her spell fall thus revealing her foxy ears and tail to her coworkers.

"For the record, I'm betting the little guy's ears are going to be just like yours, only darker." Started Matsuko taking her seat as well with a grin of her own.

"Oh, so you're placing your money on a boy? I'll admit, I'm somewhat partial to our little one being a boy myself." Giggled Tamamo with a faint blush.

"Yep, another little lady killer like his dear 'ole dad." Remarked the green-eyed woman looking ready to slip off into an imagination spot, again.

Looking anywhere but the two ladies direction, Osamu decided to add his two cents in. "Could be a girl."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Lightly jabbed the thirty-four-year-old with a toothy grin. "If it's a girl you'll spoil her to no end."

"Like you won't." Coolly shot back the round-bodied man.

It was fun watching the two playfully jab at each other, but Tamamo knew it was time for them to get down to business. She signaled as such with a single cough which caught their attention, as her loyal employees, they immediately went silent and turned to her, ready to listen. "Now then, I see with November and December coming up we're going to be looking at quite a list of potential events. I must admit, it does bring a smile to my face since it proves we're making a name for ourselves. Hm, even if it's little over a month away, I say we give the Thanksgiving feast slot to Mr. Animusphere."

"That guy you told us about last week? From what my uncle's told he's got some…pretty wild theories." Spoke Matsuko. She was descended from magecraft, and yet she herself had forgone any major involvement with the world of magi of her own choice. It was a decision that Tamamo and Hakuno had deeply respected. All that said, Matsuko herself had no problem serving them as a waitress and such. That was as far as she was willing to go.

"That's the general view, but what the public thinks and what's real can be two different things." As a former Heroic Spirit, scratch that, an Anti-Hero, those words carried an undeniable ring of truth to them. Maris Billy Animusphere was a rule-breaker, something that Tamamo had to admit she felt a certain admiration for. Or perhaps her last encounter with such a man had simply given her a soft spot for those magi willing to go beyond the boundaries and challenge long-held notions. "Put it down, the Thanksgiving slot will be given to Mr. Animusphere and his associates." Both humans nodded in agreement, though Tamamo caught the brief look they flashed one another. Biting back a sigh, she leaned back in her chair, one hand knotting her forehead in irritation. "Now look, you two, my…pregnancy is going to be an adventure for us all, but I'm just _barely_ three weeks into it! I'll still be able to work for another month or two!"

Matsuko bit her lip as she always did when nervous while Osamu raised his hands in meek defense. "We're just…well, we're trying to do for you what you did to us-give us some breathing room."

What little irritation she felt died instantly hearing that. Sympathy swelled in her eyes and was reflected in the apologetic smiles the humans gave her. When she first met the pair sitting before her they were far from what one could have called happy or even optimistic. Osamu was a step away from throwing his life away, albeit for reasons she could understand. Because she could understand, she went out of her way to get the man back on the right path, and ensure that his sisters were taken proper care of. Matsuko wasn't quite as bad, granted Tamamo knew a part of her would have jumped at the chance to join the yakuza just to spite her family. Thankfully, the energy she could have put into becoming a gangster was instead channeled in making sure everything in the inn ran properly…and annoying the hell out of her superior who now sat beside her.

Quite an unlikely pair of people for her to help her run a business of her own, but Tamamo wouldn't have traded the pair for the world. Hell, not one employee under her watch would she have given away for any price.

"Alright, alright, once New Year gets here, I'll consider taking things easy. How's that sound for you two?"

Joy blossomed on the faces of the two humans. In naked view of the sun goddess, they reached out and fist-bumped one another. Though she rolled her eyes, Tamamo couldn't help but smirk.

"You helped the two of us get back on our feet, so just consider this our way of returning the favor." Laughed Matsuko.

"Not to mention once the little guy, or gal, is born, you're going to have to spend some time at home looking after them. You've taught us just about everything we need to know to run the inn when you're gone." Added Osamu with a soft smile. "Including how to deal with some truly unruly guests. Pretty sure it's time for us to spread our wings and go forward on our own."

Tamamo remained silent as she looked between the two, then she finally laughed. It was a joyful sound that warmed the hearts of those who knew the true woman that sat behind the desk. She wasn't a former Servant who'd fought in countless battles, she wasn't a fox demon who seduced an emperor and brought down an empire, and she wasn't a goddess of the universe, she was simply a woman with thoughts and feelings. What she was feeling now was pride. "I…suppose I have. Alright then, that's enough talk about the future. We focus on the present, meaning it's time for you two to get to work."

"Eh, I figured we would only get about five minutes or free time." Admitted the brunette stretching her arms upward as she rose. "Right then, we're off! If anything happens just let us know and we'll be ready to take over!"

Again, she rolled her eyes but smiled none the less as the two finally left her alone. Leaning back in her chair, the pink-haired woman slid her hand over her tummy. "Trust me, some days those two can be a bit odd, but they're truly diamonds in the ruff. Hehehe, you'll probably know that by age two after they've spoiled you enough." Lifting up her head, she glanced out the window to the rainy world beyond the confines of her office. Tamamo felt them all, close to a hundred souls buzzing about around her. "One day, this place will be your playground, I know it. Just…try not to give your aunts, uncles, and mommy too much of a scare while you're running around, okay?"

* * *

By the time they made it home the rain had stopped and the sun had decided to make one last appearance before night fully set in. The end result was a rainbow streaking across the sky at the perfect point of the evening. A nice little offering to those returning home from another day of work such as the Kishinamis. Upon returning home, Tamamo immediately went to the living room where she dropped against the couch, her disguise spell vanishing revealing her foxy features. A yawn left her lips as she began making herself comfortable while her husband went to the kitchen to fix them a pair of drinks. At least until they heard the knock on the door.

"I got it." He sensed no sort of malicious intent, though Hakuno remained on guard as he made his way to the door. Instantly, he thought of a whole list of people who could be wanting to pay him and his wife a visit. It took him opening the door half-way for the sense of alertness to die down. A smile immediately formed on his face. "I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you know?"

An ear-to-ear grin manifested on the face of the six-foot three Chinese male standing before him. He'd kept his vow from all those years ago in keeping his verging goatee neatly trimmed and his facial hair light. It all went quite well with the well-trimmed suit and navy-blue tie he wore. There was no denying that Hsu Chen looked radically different from how he presented himself during the Great Holy War almost ten years ago. Granted, the star-like light in his eyes remained, and for that, Hakuno couldn't help but smile.

"Know what? That an old war buddy of mine is having a baby with yet another old war buddy of mine? Both of whom are responsible for helping turn back an alien invasion thus saving the world? Nope, I know absolutely nothing about any of that." Both former Masters shared a laugh before resuming eye-contact. "Come here, man!"

It'd been close to five months since the former comrades had seen each other, face-to-face. They'd communicated plenty of times over the phone and video-feds. Physically speaking to one another though, had those things beat.

"Kind of wish you'd told us you were coming back. We would have been able to get you guys set up at the Senbonzakura." Spoke the Japanese male as they pulled apart.

"If we told you, it wouldn't have been a surprise, plus we're…kind of here for personal and impersonal reasons." Came a calm female voice that Hakuno also recognized. Looking into the driveway, he grinned spotting the woman walking up the steps. In contrast to the pure dark hair of her husband, the former Magus Association operative still retained her snow-white streaks, a trait that had been passed onto the baby boy currently held in her arms. She smiled at him, "Hope you and Tamamo don't mind us dropping in."

"Chen, Pemetrekis, you guys are always welcome in our house." Laughed the brown-haired man before glancing at the baby. "Oh, and you too, Lei."

After hours of peaceful slumber, the black and white-haired baby awoke. Rather than the soft always calm bronze-colored orbs, the infant looked into the supernatural gold of Tamamo's. A joyful cry left the child at the sight of his "divine aunt" and tiny arms stretched upward in an attempt to grasp at her pink-colored strands. The three mortals watched the sight with soft smiles and twinkling eyes; Tamamo wasted no time in going along with the child's little games. Her eyes flickered to Pemetrekis, who gave a light-hearted shrug before stepping over and gently embracing the former Servant.

In little time at all, the four Holy Grail War survivors were sitting before the living room table, drinks before them and laughter echoing between them. Intermixed with them were the soft coos and cries of the one-year-old baby, who continuously picked at anything he could get his tiny little hands on.

"It's just a feeling, but I'm betting your little girl is going to be the same way as Lei." Began Chen. His suit and tie had been deposited atop the couch and his dress shirt unbutton just a tad bit. It was a small change, but one that provided Tamamo and Hakuno a glimpse of the man they'd fought beside some years ago.

In between his palms, Hakuno created a small orb of silvery light. Immediately, Lei became mesmerized by the orb. Chuckling, he passed the sphere into the arms of the baby, who began to play with it, much to the amusement of the adults in the room. Afterward, he shot his old friend a raised eyebrow. "She? You're betting on a girl?"

"Call it a hunch." Answered the Chinese national with a proud grin.

"Personally, I'm betting on a boy." Spoke Pemetrekis watching her son. She was truly glad that Lei wasn't turning out to have inherited his father's more outward personality, though something told her as he grew older it'd cause her headaches. They'd be of the more joyful kind though, at least so long as he kept himself out of serious trouble. "Either way, I've got a gut feeling that whatever gender, they're going to get along great."

"I think what you mean is our little one is going to have to be the one to keep Lei out of trouble when the rest of us aren't around." Offered Tamamo.

"Hey, hey, you guys are going on like Lei's going to be doing some crazy stunts like jumping into a volcano or sailing into a hurricane because of my genes." Grumbled Chen, shooting the fox and her wife a somewhat annoyed frown.

The door was opened, and Hakuno walked right in. "Hm, well…you were the guy who went off to warzones, investigated natural disasters and sold yourself as an 'adventurer-for-hire' and eventually decided to join a Holy Grail War for _fun_." Lacing both hands behind his head, the brown-haired Japanese man leaned back into the couch. "Speaking of said war, you did pull off some crazy stunts, like continuously pestering your Servant about his personal life to the point he was ready to shoot you. Having him help you with some truly crazy stunts, up to and including shooting a gas line so you could ride the explosion to get onto an airship. Then there was you deciding to turn yourself into bait for a blood-thirsty Egyptian goddess, who also had a massive hate-boner for humanity-"

"For the record you helped me with that one." Chen grinned.

Hakuno laughed, even as he remembered the unbridled terror he felt as they ran for their lives from a giant lioness commanding a massive sandstorm. It'd taken him months after the war was over for the phantom pains and nightmares to leave him. "Yeah, good times. But that idea still somehow came up short to you manning an alien spacecraft, setting it to explode, and then _flying_ the damn thing out to sea. You know the odds of you surviving that stunt were even less than point zero, right?"

After a full swing of his drink, the black-haired male grinned at him. It was a grin he knew quite well, and he returned it in full force. "Alright, fine, maybe I've got a screw or two loose, but I've got _nothing_ on you, Moon-boy. You, a guy who's apparently lived through three lifetimes, one as a junior rescue worker, another as a video-game NPC turned deadly game shot contestant, and a third as an average guy until you ended up chased into the school basement by an angry Persian King. And that was just for starters, not mention in comparison to my crazy plan, you decided to fist-fight a freakin' Irish spearman. Then after that, you fought your way through a pack of demonically-empowered douchebags, and even sucker-punched discount Satan. I could mention the part where you came up with a way to stop an alien super weapon made for devouring stars, but all that _pales_ in comparison to the biggest one." With great fanfare, he pointed to Tamamo, who'd maintained nothing but an amused smirk throughout the whole conversation. "Managing to get an incarnation of the _sun_ to fall in love with you, and carry your child!"

There was a short nod of approval from the Holy Grail War victor. "Yeah, so basically, I've got way more accomplishments than you do! Chen, thanks for the compliment!"

The two women exploded in laughter, and after seeing them, little Lei joined in as well. His father's fact dropped into a cartoonish frown while he shot his best friend a sideways glare.

"I see you've still got your silver tongue, Hakuno." He moaned.

A hand reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, I'm just speaking my mind. Isn't that what you've always encouraged me to do."

"Yeah, I did." Chen sighed. "I fear I've taught you too well."

The eyes of the two men drifted to Tamamo, who'd gone back to rubbing her stomach. "Yet another one of your crazy uncles, my dear little one. Don't worry, his antics can be a bit ridiculous, but his heart's always in the right place. Most of the time."

Lei, who'd content himself with playing with the magically-created light in his arms, suddenly stopped. His dark eyes went to Tamamo. Instantly, the goddess knew what was going through the child's mind. Pemetrekis knew as well, as evident by her moving over so her son could stretch out his arms to the pink-haired woman. The infant's energetic actions came to a stop as he was placed against the flat stomach of the former Servant. In that instant, it became clear that the Hsu Family's magical abilities had been passed onto the next generation.

While their wives continued to entertain the potential heir of the Hsu Family, the two males snuck off to the porch. The rainbow in the sky had remained, and only grown more beautiful as the sky grew darker. It was truly an example of calm after the storm, a sentiment that Hakuno and Chen knew about far better than most. Leaning back on their hands, the two males watched the darkness gradually overtake the last remains of day. It wouldn't be totally dark, as night fell, the stars and moon would come out, to say nothing of the thousands of city lights that would illuminate Kyoto.

"You have no idea how much I envy you, man. Having a nice quiet little place like this, talk about a blessing." Chen whistled.

Hakuno could believe that. While a good number of magi and other bluebloods looked down on Chen's former nomadic and roguish lifestyle. Such a life had taught him lessons that money and lineage couldn't, it'd taught him things that Hakuno himself had learned over the course of fighting for his survival against impossible odds. It'd taken a little bit of time, but the two former Masters had found common ground, and a friendship had been born and hardened in the cauldron of conflict.

"So, what's the other reason you and Pemetrekis stopped by?" he finally asked feeling he'd beat around the bush enough.

"It's been decided," Chen began hunching forward with a hardened look in his eyes. For such an upbeat and jovial person, it was indeed quite a sight. "The next Holy Grail War is going to take place sometime after the New Year." He turned to the side and watched as Hakuno breathed out a sigh. Obviously, he knew it was coming, anyone well-connected in the magi world knew it. After the…mess that had been the Shanghai Great Holy Grail War, an unofficial break had to be taken before another war could be commenced. As far as Hakuno and several others were concerned, it was a hundred years too soon. "I'm going to use everything I've got to oversee this one, and make sure it doesn't go off-rails."

"Off-rails? Chen, I may be sounding a _bit_ optimistic in saying this, but I don't think we need to worry about this next one." His shoulders slacked as he looked up to the evening sky. There was still a great deal of moisture in the air, enough so he wouldn't put it beyond reach that there was a light layer of fog in the morning. "This war won't involve a faction or contest in-league with an interdimensional race of genocidal aliens? Or one Servant being a megalomaniacal demon, will it?"

Chen laughed, and then Hakuno joined him. The Chinese magus placed a soft hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, for once, the Magus Association and Clock Tower got it right when it came to dealing with dangerous material. Almost all of the traces of Velber have either been destroyed or confiscated and locked away. As for Stavrod…they haven't caused any major incidents since we kicked their asses in Shanghai. From the looks of it, it's going to be an ordinary Holy Grail War. Or at least, as far as Holy Grail Wars go."

That was an understatement. As he always did when he felt nervous or on edge, Hakuno placed a hand to his chest. Beside him, Chen watched the splint-second manifestation. A light blue cube-shaped object that rested within Hakuno's pulsated. The air cooled, though not in a negative way. It felt like the calm breeze that came with a full moon, something not meant to stir, but to put at ease. That's certainly what it did for Chen. "Are you going to need my help?"

"No, no, I got this one." Chen's response was fast and hard, as was the look in his eyes. "Hakuno, in a past life, you busted your ass twice to save the world and everyone in it, and then you did it again. For once, just let the rest of us pull our weight. Besides, I made a promise to everyone; my dad, Jiang, Erik, Jomei, and Aunt Heng to look after the world they all gave their lives trying to save. No way in hell I'm letting them all done by taking the easy way out and looking the other way." His expression finally softened. "Besides, I'll have Hisano backing me up, she wants to make sure this war doesn't become another grade-A shitstorm like Shanghai."

The honey-eyed man smiled at the mention of the other friend he'd made during the Great Holy Grail War. A girl who, like him, had been thrust into a situation she'd never asked for, and yet she'd come out all the better for it. "Good to know, but you guys know me. Remember, in my _first_ life I spent my time running around the world helping anyone in need of aid."

"Yeah, you did." Chen laughed before turning himself around so they were facing forward. One leg dangled out over the ledge. "But dude, all that was another lifetime ago. Now, you've got someone, two people actually, who need you more than the rest of the world does. Be there for them, that's your job now."

He was right, absolutely right. Hakuno thought of the names, the faces, the compatriots, he'd lost during the Shanghai Holy Great War. People that his and Tamamo's child would never get to know, like so many others whose lives feats they'd only be able to explain through stories and tales. It was a bitter pill, but not the first he'd been forced to swallow. Releasing a sigh, he looked his friend in the eye. "Does Pemetrekis know? What you just said to me, that cuts both ways, Chen."

The former Azure Master smiled at him. "Yeah, she knows, and believe me, we had a long talk about it once we found out. In fact, Hisano actually tried to keep me from getting involved and used the same argument on me that you did. She's come a long way from the little turtle we met that day in Qingpu, huh?"

"Yeah, war has a way of changing people…for both better and worse." Spoke the twenty-seven-year-old.

Both of Chen's hands fell atop of Hakuno's shoulders causing him to look up. If Hakuno's smile was one of soothing, then without a doubt, Chen's was one of fiery encouragement. The parallels between them truly hadn't ended, nor did it stop the two from being there for one another when it counted. "I'm not gonna lie and say anything the world barfs up, I'll be able to handle it on my own. All I'm saying is…you've got a world of your own to protect, so don't look away from it. Not for an instant. That goes for protecting them…and for parenting."

The former Masters of the Azure faction shared another joint laugh, one that completely washed away the anxiety that had steadily been gathering within them. "Alright, I'll leave this one to you guys, but if anything serious comes up, you know how to reach me."

"Done, though trust me, given who's competing, there may be a just they all just kill each other before they can cause too much trouble." Chen winked.

With that matter settled, Hakuno figured it was time for him to ask his next question. While he'd always been the cautious and astute one, this was one of those rare times where Chen knew more than him. Way more. He could certainly use his advice. Alas, the question never passed his lips. Quickly turning to the left, he saw one of Tamamo's fox familiars bounding down the floor. Riding atop it was a black and white-haired infant, looking like he was having the time of his life.

Hakuno and Chen watched in blissful silence as the fox bounded into the tranquil backyard that lay behind their home.

"He wanted to go for a ride, and well, Tamamo just didn't have it in her to resist." Came Pemetrekis voice causing the two men to turn around to face their wives.

"So same as usual." Chuckled Hakuno causing his wife to playfully slap his shoulder while taking a seat beside him. "I'm glad you guys come make the time out to come see us."

Wrapping an arm around his own wife, and even sneaking in a light kiss on her cheek that made her blush, Chen beamed. "Hakuno, like I told you all those years ago in Shanghai. We're practically family, just make sure if you and Tamamo ever stop by China, you pay us a visit!"

Hakuno and Tamamo laughed out an answer to the request. Indeed, at some point they would be visiting China again, though hopefully this time it wouldn't involve them having to fight off Servants, lunatics, and thwart an attempted cross-dimensional alien invasion. When that time came, they looked forward to seeing a more grown-up version of the little boy riding one of their many fox familiars. And perhaps playing with another young one, a boy or girl sporting a set of foxy ears and a tail similar to Tamamo's own.

* * *

"Fair warning, this is going to feel a bit cold, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle." Chuckled the green-eyed doctor that had been appointed to the Kishinamis.

"I highly doubt a little bit of gel will be enough to scare me." Dryly answered Tamamo. It'd taken a few days, but back here they were, ready to catch their first glimpse of their child. Hakuno stood by her side. His hand found its way to hers', for emotional support more than anything. "I'm…I'm ready."

It wasn't the coldness that got Tamamo, it was more a case of her nerves than anything. Hakuno knew his Servant enough to know more than physical pain, it was the mental curveballs that tended to knock her off her feet. He was easily the same thus he gave her hand several supportive squeezes as Dr. Suzumura continued with the procedure. Hakuno would have been lying if he didn't admit to being just a bit jumpy himself. If he wanted to, he could have used his own powers to perform something of an ultrasound himself, but he wanted the moment to be special for the two of them. Plus he couldn't help but desire a bit of normality in their lives after all they'd been through.

Standing in front of the console, Dr. Suzumura's eyes widened. "Woah, well…that's…eh, actually I sorta saw this one coming."

"Saw what coming?" Pressed Hakuno. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

The peach-haired doctor spun on her heel with a cherry smile on her face. "Nope, oh, and it's not 'the' baby!" Grinning like a fool, she stepped aside and turned the monitor to the married couple. Predictably, their mouths dropped.

"Is…is that…I…we're not seeing things, are we?" Hakuno whispered having a hard-enough time believing what he was seeing. Over the last several years, he'd been…blessed with one positive after another. While some would have said it was the universe's way of compensating him for all the suffering he'd gone through, he wasn't that optimistic. What lay before his eyes was perhaps the final gift, one he could scarily believe he was on the receiving end of.

"Nope, I promise you, this equipment is one hundred percent accurate!" Proclaimed the specialized doctor flashing him and his wife a peace sign.

The soon-to-be mother felt tears glistening in her eyes, and a moment later they slipped from her eyelids. Slowly but inevitably, a smile formed on her lips, one that quickly grew on those of her husband's as well. "Mi…Mi…MIKON!"

Since being assigned to them. Dr. Suzumura had long-since accepted this was going to be a normal thing-the former Servant squeezing the life out of her Master-turned-lover in surprise bear hugs. It almost made her reluctant to deliver the good news on account of the war survivor having all the bones in his body crushed. Based on the tearful smile he too wore, something told her he wouldn't have mind going out that way. Quickly, Hakuno wrapped his arms around his wife, burying his face in her pink strands.

Her gaze shifted back to the monitor. Side by side, in perfect harmony sat two gray-sized spheres of equal size and shape to one another. In time, those spheres would grow, and after a certain point they'd be released into the world.

After hundreds of years, it would not be one demigod who would walk the earth, but two. As the saying went, great things did indeed come in pairs.

* * *

 **A bit cliché of me to have the second chapter be the big reveal that Hakuno and Tamamo are having twins, but I couldn't help it. Yep, rather than one, there's going to be two little fox children running around. I won't say rather it's going to be two boys or two girls or one of each. Dear readers, you'll have to wait a bit longer to get the answer to that question.**

 **On another note, last chapter revealed what Hakuno's job was, so I decided to have this chapter do the same for Tamamo. The basis for this sort takes a bit of headcanon and runs with it. Originally, Tamamo was a court lady, an extremely intelligent one so she's obviously got the smarts to run a business or be in a management position if she wanted to. Adding to that, she's got the cooking and people-skills one would need to interact with people and make them feel at ease or relaxed, oh, and I'm pretty sure the "Tamamo Resort" mentioned in Extella Game line speaks volumes about what she'd do in the modern era. The naming choice, senbonzakura, "thousand cherry blossoms", I chose it to fit with her more traditional mindset and her overall character as Japanese Servant.**

 **And lastly, this chapter dropped some major hints as to the Holy Grail War that Hakuno and Tamamo fought in to get where they are. Oh, and a (semi)important background character from Grand Order was name-dropped. Expect more detailed and larger hints in future chapters. The name Lei, can be read with the Chinese character for "thunder", that right there should give you a hint as to what Servant Chen had. I sort of a fan of meaningful names so you can bet that when the Kishinami twins are born, their names are going to contain some important meaning.**

 **Until next chapter, as the fluff continues!**


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